GDT: 5/6/09 - DET (14-12) AT CWS 12-14) - 8:11 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Manager Jim Leyland shuffled the lineup and got nine runs out of his previously struggling offense with a group that included part-time outfielders Josh Anderson and Clete Thomas batting first and third, Curtis Granderson fifth and Magglio Ordonez sixth. What can Detroit do for an encore to open their two-game set in Chicago against the White Sox?

Probably nothing quite that drastic.

"This is one night, so I'm not going to get too excited about it," Leyland said. "But I liked the way it looked."

For one, the Tigers will be facing a left-handed starter with White Sox ace Mark Buehrle. Anderson is a left-handed hitter, and Leyland indicated he'll probably go with right-handed hitting Ryan Raburn in the lineup. Thomas, who also bats left-handed, could still get a chance to follow up his three-hit performance, not to mention use his legs to create some offense.

Ordonez, however, has a chance to break out of his struggles in a big way. Not only is Detroit's usual third hitter mired in an 0-for-8 slump since his single Sunday, he didn't get the ball out of the infield in two games against the Twins. However, he's 15-for-28 with two doubles, two homers and five RBIs lifetime against Buehrle, his old teammate. And he had more hits last year against the White Sox (23) than against any other club, earning him a .307 batting average with two home runs and 12 RBIs vs. Chicago.

As much as Tuesday's energy created a spark, Leyland knows he needs Ordonez to create more at the plate.

"We're not going to be able to win [this season] unless we get [Carlos] Guillen back healthy and producing and get Magglio going," Leyland said Tuesday night. "We won't win if we don't get that going."

Beyond that is the chance of a power display in what is forecast to be a warm midweek stretch in the Windy City. High temperatures are supposed to hit the low-70s with humidity and some wind in store. Those are the kinds of conditions that usually yield home runs at U.S. Cellular Field, and they could yield better numbers from an offense that struggled to plate runs during a stretch of four straight games against left-handed starters over their just-completed homestand.

With that in mind, though, Leyland still wants some of Tuesday's energy in Wednesday's game.

"People don't realize how much speed affects the game," Leyland said. "When you get a guy over at first that can run, it affects us, because we're worried about holding him. The pitcher knows he can run. The catcher knows he might steal. It affects the game in a lot of ways. There's no substitute for it. You can't teach it. There's something to be said for it."

Speed will probably have its say Wednesday, too. Just maybe not to the same extent as Tuesday.


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Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (3-1, 3.07 ERA)
It's still too early to determine anything about Galarraga's followup to his breakout 2008 season, but his last three outings have shown hints of pitching away from contact instead of towards it, as he did as a rookie. He has 11 walks over 16 innings in that stretch, including three over five innings in his most recent outing. The Indians, who had never hit him well, roughed him up for five runs on eight hits, but it was a walk to ninth man Kelly Shoppach in a four-run second inning that seemingly allowed his outing to unravel.

CWS: LHP Mark Buehrle (4-0, 3.30 ERA)
Buehrle has now won four straight to start a season for the second time in his career and for the first time since 2002, after emerging victorious from Friday's 4-3 win over Texas. Buehrle needed just 81 pitches to cover six innings, during which the southpaw allowed three runs on seven hits, while striking out two and not issuing a walk. He also was tagged for a home run by leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler. Buehrle has not faced the Tigers this season, but has a 13-8 lifetime record against Detroit.

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Tidbits

...Guillen, placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with right shoulder inflammation, stayed behind in Detroit to work with a therapist on his rehab program. He's expected to resume baseball activities when the Tigers return to town on May 15.
... Cabrera currently has a nine-game hitting streak, during which he's batting .452 (14-for-31) with three home runs and nine RBIs.
... Left-hander Dontrelle Willis, who began the season on the 15-day disabled list with anxiety disorder, is scheduled to make his second rehab start for Triple-A Toledo Wednesday night, when the Mud Hens visit the Pawtucket Red Sox. Willis gave up three runs on seven hits in five innings in his previous start last Friday, striking out four and walking two.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Thursday: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner, 2-1, 6.75 ERA) at White Sox (RHP Jose Contreras, 0-4, 8.31 ERA), 8:11 p.m. ET
• Friday: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander, 2-2, 5.66 ERA) at Indians (LHP Cliff Lee, 1-4, 3.92 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Tigers (RHP Edwin Jackson, 1-2, 3.08 ERA) at Indians (RHP Fausto Carmona, 1-3, 6.11 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
Granderson, CF .259
Polanco, 2B .264
Thomas, RF .750
Cabrera, M, 1B .406
Ordonez, DH .232
Laird, C .246
Inge, 3B .287
Raburn, LF .077
Everett, SS .273

Chi White Sox AVG
Getz, 2B .288
Fields, 3B .261
Quentin, LF .253
Thome, DH .214
Dye, RF .292
Konerko, 1B .302
Pierzynski, C .316
Nix, SS .429
Podsednik, CF .316

rain delay

game called off due to rain.